Key fastener



[saw/c Z'Lwmb m April 17, 1934. LUMB AL 1,955,430

KEY FASTENER Filed Jan. 21, 1933 [nven toms awardZ'gla-s'en/ r e I By nW .flharney Patented Apr. 17, 1934 STATES KEY FASTENER Iisaac F. Lumband Howard '1. Clasen, Glenolden, Pa.

Application January 21,

Claims.

"Our invention relates to improvements in a key fastener, for holding akey against rotation or displacement relati ely to the lock.

The object of our invention is to provide a novel key fastener whichwill hold a key from being rotated within the lock, or removed from thelook by force applied to the key from the outside of the door.

A further object is to provide a key fastener v which may be readilyattached and detached.

A further object is to construct a key fastener comprising tworelatively movable members, with a spring interposed, for yieldinglyholding the members in key engaging position, and making the fasteneradaptable for locks of different sizes.

A further object is to construct the members of the key fastener withnovel means for holding them from rotating relatively to each other,thereby insuring the members always being held in the proper positionfor attachment to a look.

A further object is to form the members of wire, each member comprisinga straight body portion and loops, or bearings, in which the straightportion of the opposite member is slidably mounted.

A further object is to provide a key fastener which is simple inconstruction and which may be manufactured at a low cost.

These together with various other novel features of construction andarrangement of the parts, which will be more fully hereinafter describedand claimed constitute our invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a view in elevationshowing our improved key fastener.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 1 is a View in elevation showing the edge of a door and lock, andshowing the key fastener attached.

Figure 5 is a side view of Fig. 4, partly in section.

In the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters refer tolike parts, 10 represents our novel key fastener, comprising two members12 and 13. Said members consist of straight body portions 14 and 15 andfastening devices, in the form of hooks 16 and 17, respectively.

The members 12 and 13 are preferably formed. of wire of sufficientlyheavy gage to insure the members retaining their forms as shown in thedrawing.

The members 12 and 13 are provided with bearings, or loops 18 and 19,formed upon the inner ends of the body portions 14 and 15. The straightbody portions 14 and 15 over-lap each other and 1933, Serial No. 652,809

the loop 18 is slidably mounted on the straight body portion 13 and theloop 19 is slidably mounted upon the straight body portion 1 1.

The bearings, or loops 18 and 19 are each located with its axis off-setfrom the longitudinal axis of the body portion on which the loop ismounted, thereby holding the body portions in spaced relation to eachother.

A coiled spring 20 is positioned between the loops 18 and 19 andembraces one of the body 6 portions. Said spring tends to force theloops 18 and 19 apart, and thus slide the members relatively to eachother so as to draw the hooks 16 and 1'? toward each other.

A second loop 22 is provided upon the body portion 1 1 of the member 12.Said loop 22 is positioned between the hook 16 and the loop 19 of theopposite member 13. Said loop 22 forms a stop which takes against theloop 19 and limits the distance the members may be moved by the actionof the spring 20.

The member 13 is provided with an extension 23, which is positioned inalignment with the body portion 15 and located upon the opposite side ofthe loop 19 relatively to the hook 17 on the memher 13. The extension 23occupies the loop 22 on the member 12 and slides loosely in the loop 22.

By providing one of the members with a plurality of loops, such as theloops 18 and 22 on the member 12, the members are held in parallelrelation to each other and by locating the loops eccentrically, oroff-set, relatively to the longitudinal axis of the body portions onwhich they are mounted, the members are prevented from rotatingrelatively to each other, thus insuring the hooks 16 and 17 being heldagainst relative rotation which greatly facilitates in applying the keyfastener to the lock of a door.

The wires forming the hooks 16 and 1'7 are folded upon themselves toform finger grips 25 and 26, for use in extending the members againstthe action of the spring 20 when attaching the key fastener to a lock.

Figures 4 and 5 show a portion of a door 28 and a lock 30, having alatch 31 operated by the shank 32 and the door knob 33. A bolt 35 isoperated by a key 36 when the latter is rotated. The key is held againstrotation by our novel key fastener, by placing the hook 16 around theshank 32, or any other means of attachment which may be provided uponthe door. The hook 17 is inserted through the handle of the key forholding the key against rotation, or from being removed from the look,by passing an instrument through the key hole from the opposite side ofthe door.

The spring will yield and allow the members 12 and 13 of the keyfastener to be extended sufficiently to allow the fastener to be appliedto looks of different sizes.

Various changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts may bemade without departing from our invention.

We claim:--

l. A key fastener comprising two members each having a straight bodyportion, said body portions over-lapping each other, a loop upon eachmember, said loops occupied by the straight body portions of theopposite members and in which loops said body portions are slidablymounted, a second loop upon one of said members in which second loop aportion of the opposite member is slidably mounted, a hook upon theouter end of each member, and a spring positioned between the loops ofthe opposite members tending to urge said hooks toward each other.

2. A key fastener comprising two members each having a straight bodyportion, said body portions positioned in spaced parallel relation toeach other, a bearing upon one of said body portions, a plurality ofbearings upon the other one of said body portions, said body portionupon one member being slidably mounted in the bearings upon the oppositemember, said bearings positioned eccentrically relatively to thelongitudinal axis of the body portions on which they are mounted andarranged to prevent said members from rotating relatively to each other,fastening devices upon the outer ends of said body portions, and aspring positioned between the bearings of the opposite body portionstending to urge said fastening devices toward each other.

3. A key fastener comprising two wire members each having a straightbody portion, said body portions of the opposite members positioned inspaced parallel relation to each other and overlapping each other, aloop upon each body portion in which loop the body portion of theopposite member is slidably mounted, hooks upon the outer ends of saidmembers relatively to the loops, 2. second loop upon one of said bodyportions and embracing the straight body portion of the opposite member,said loops positioned eccentrically relatively to the longitudinal axisof the body on which they are mounted and arranged to prevent saidmembers from rotating relatively to each other, and a spring positionedbetween the loops of the opposite members tending to urge said hookstoward each other.

4. A key fastener comprising two wire members each having a straightbody portion, said body portions of the opposite members positioned inparallel relation to each other and over-lapping each other, a loop uponeach member embracing the over-lapping portion of the opposite bodyportion, a spring embracing one of said body portions and positionedbetween said loops tending to urge the loops apart, a hook upon theouter end of each member, a second loop upon one of said body portions,an extension upon the opposite body portion ocoupying said second loop,and said loops positioned with their axes eccentric to the longitudinalaxis of the body portion on which the loops are mounted and arranged forpreventing the rotation of the members relatively to each other.

5. A key fastener comprising two wire members each having a straightbody portion, said body portions of the opposite members positioned inspaced parallel relation to each other and overlapping each other, aloop upon each body portion in which loop the body portion of theopposite member is slidably mounted, hooks upon the outer ends of saidmembers relatively to the loops, a spring embracing one of the bodyportions, said spring positioned between said loops and tending to urgethe loops apart, a second loop upon one of said body portions, saidsecond loop located between said first mentioned loops and the hook onthe body portion on which the second loop is mounted and arranged toform a stop to limit the movement of said members by the action of thespring, and an extension upon the inner end of the opposite body portionrelatively to the body portion on which said second loop is mounted, andsaid extension slidably mounted in said second loop.

ISAAC F. LUlVEB. HOWARD T. CLASEN.

